The nodding onion, Allium cernuum (cernuum means nodding in Latin)
is an attractive small species native to North America, distributed from New York to Michigan and British Columbia and south in the mountains and cooler regions from Arizona and North Georgia. Nodding Onions are a native perennial plant that grow from bulbs that are longer than they are wide.

Characteristics of Nodding Onion

- The most remarkable feature of the nodding onion is its adaptability.
- Nodding Onion features dainty lightly-scented nodding plum purple flowers from late spring to early summer. It will grow to be about 8 inches tall at maturity extending to 18 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 12 inches.
- It’s grassy leaves remain green in color throughout the season.
- The leaves are flat; unlike the onions you may have in your kitchen, but have that onion-like smell, and taste.
- Nodding Onions bloom between July and August and last about a month before setting seeds.
- While deer, rabbits and pesky squirrels may stay away, during the blooming season they’re frequented by bumblebees, honey bees and small short-tongued bees.
- Each mature bulb typically bears a single flowering stem with up to 30 flowers.
- The flowers are individually about ¼” long, and may be white, light lavender, or pink.
- The scapes bend sharply downward at the top so that the umbel droops downward. The small bell-shaped flowers have protruding stamens.

Soil Conditions for Nodding Onion

- It is very easy to grow.
- It prefers well-drained soil in full sun, but will tolerate clay soils.
- It is not particular as to soil type or pH, and is able to handle environmental salt.
- The soil can consist of black loam, or contain either rocky or sandy material.
- It thrives in difficult sites such as hot sun and gravely soil.
- Divide every third year or when 8-10 bulbs appear in the clump.
- It grows at a medium rate.
- It is expected to live for approximately 5 yrs under ideal conditions.
- It is best inter-planted with late-season bloomers to hide the dying foliage.
- It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments.

How to grow Nodding Onion

- It is easy to grow from seed, or can be planted as a bulb in either late fall or early spring.
- Use it at the front of the garden border where its distinctive flowers and fine texture can truly be appreciated.
- It can also be sheared back after flowering to produce a second flush of rich green growth.
- The bulbs should be planted fairly deeply.
- Grows well with most plants, especially roses, carrots, beet and chamomile, but it inhibits the growth of legumes.
- Seed sow spring in a cold frame.
- Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle – if you want to produce clumps more quickly then put three plants in each pot.

The name Drumstick Allium aptly describes this group of onions having tall, thin stems, and tight knobs of bloom at the top, indeed looking like drumsticks. Onions in this group are primarily within Section Allium, the “type” section that defines the genus, although some onions in other sections may share the so-called “drumstick” appearance.

Characteristics of Blue Drumsticks

- The Allium ‘Blue Drumstick’, Allium, has unusual flax-blue flower heads, approximately 1 1/2″ in diameter.
- It is a low maintenance perennial, and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season’s flowers.
- Blue Drumstick is resistant to deer and makes excellent cut flowers.
- It is easy to grow in any sunny, well-drained location.
- They should be planted in groups of ten or more.
- Divide mature clumps in August if areas become overcrowded.
- Blue Drumstick is ideal for containers, mass plantings, borders, and cut flowers.
- These plants are rabbit, squirrel, and deer resistant.
- The bloom period is of about 3 weeks and they bloom in late spring to early summer.

Conditions required for Blue Drumsticks to grow

- Blue drumstick should only be grown in full sunlight.
- Average to evenly moist conditions are best for its growth, but it will not tolerate standing water.
- It is not particular as to soil type or pH, and is able to handle environmental salt.
- It is highly tolerant of urban pollution.

- Sunset Hyssop is an open herbaceous perennial with an upright spreading habit of growth.
- The leaves are fine-textured with a gray-green color. In the summertime, sunset hyssop is covered in trumpet shaped flowers, each with shades of orange, pink and purple.
- Sunset hyssop is a surefire way to attract hummingbirds to your garden. The vibrant pink, purple and orange blossoms definitely catch your eye, adding pizazz to any yard. It is able to grow in many zones and soil conditions.
- It brings an extremely fine and delicate texture to the garden composition and should be used to full effect.
- This perennial will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season.

Growing Tips For Sunset Hyssop

- Plant in a sunny location. It can tolerate part shade if needed.
- In the first season, they should be watered regularly to establish the root system. The soil should be well drained as sunset hyssop does not tolerate soil that is constantly wet. After it is established, it is very drought tolerant.
- During spring, you can divide established plants.
- Sow seeds directly in the garden once temperatures are above 55 degrees. Space transplants 12-18″ apart.

Maintenance/Pruning For Sunset Hyssop

- Cut sunset hyssop almost to the ground at the beginning of spring. This will promote stronger and more vigorous growth. Deadhead spent flowers to extend blooming season.
- In colder regions, mulch with pea gravel during the winter. Do not use wood mulches; these tend to keep the soil below very moist, which this plant cannot tolerate.

Soil Conditions needed for Sunset Hyssop

Sunset hyssop prefers a hot, sunny spot in well-drained, mineral-rich, humus-poor soil. Cut the fine-textured, somewhat brittle stems down close to the ground at the beginning of the growing season, even if much of the wood remains live, as it does in warmer zones. This radical pruning promotes sturdier, more vigorous growth.
Sunset hyssop is short-lived in damp, cool climates and resents moist winter soil. Otherwise it appears to adapt to most garden situations as long as it has full sun. Its warm colors and full, bushy texture combine well with late-season grasses such as Mexican feather grass and the taller big sacaton, two other lovely Southwest natives. Late- blooming, similarly drought- tolerant plants such as blue mist spirea, Russian sage, and Maximilian sunflower also make good companions. This recently discovered treasure offers lively color and delicious fragrance, while bringing wildlife into our late-season gardens.

There are some problems that are associated with Sunset Hyssop like : Mildew, rust, and downy mildew.

Sunflowers or Helianthus is the most popular summer flower. It is both a beautiful flower and a great vegetable! Healthy, nutritious and attractive, Sunflowers have it all. Sunflowers are used to attract birds to our homes. We also enjoy eating the seeds. They are high in protein. Sunflowers are popular as a cooking oil, too.

Appearance of a sunflower

The sunflower has a tall and thick stem crowned by what seems like a single giant flower. Interestingly, this flower is no flower at all but a constellation made up of hundreds of small flowers called the head. The brown center of the flower is the constellation of flowers, with the yellow leaves acting more as a protect ant to the flowers during the flowering and seed development phases.

How to plant sunflowers ?

- Plant your sunflower seeds between May 15 and July 1. Make sure soil temperatures are above 50 degrees F. The soil should be well-drained, but can range from sand to clay.
- Dig holes that are 1 to 2 inches deep in rows. Planting in rows will allow for good cultivation.
- Use a drill or corn planter.
- Put in a well-balanced fertilizer mixture. Add 50 pounds of phosphorus, 100 pounds of potassium and less than 100 pounds of nitrogen.
- Make sure to cover your seedlings after you add the fertilizer.

Care to take while growing sunflowers

- Plant sunflowers where they receive sun the whole day.
- Water frequently, but make sure not to over-water as this will hurt your sunflowers. Leaving them with too little water will harm them as well.
- Watch for sclerotina disease, which is a white mold. Recognize white mold by spotting rotting sunflower heads and stalks. Look for other disease such as rust and downy mildew.
- Put in a stake if your sunflower is having trouble standing on its own.

Soil Best for Growing Sunflower Seeds

- Sunflowers will thrive in a wide range of soil types. You can plant in sandy soil or in clay and have reasonable expectations of success either way.
- Don’t plant them in wet, swampy soils, and make sure any planting containers have adequate drainage.
- Sunflowers require medium to high levels of nitrogen in the soil, as they are somewhat inefficient users of that macro-nutrient. If you grow sunflowers in the same spot every year, you will need to enhance the soil with compost or fertilizer each time you plant.
- Sunflowers are rated as having low salt tolerance. They do not like saline environment.

Life Cycle of a Sunflower

- First you plant a seed.
- The root starts to pop out of the seed.
- The root starts to grow.
- The root hair begins to form and anchor the plant in the ground.
- The shoot begins to pop out and head in the opposite direction of the root.
- Eventually the shoot breaks through the soil.
- The shoot begins to grow in a sprout.
- The sprout starts to grow leaves.
- A bud starts to form.
- The bud starts to bloom. Petals and a flower head are formed.
- Seeds and pollen are on the flower head.
- The petals began to fall off and the flower begins to die.
- The seeds fall to the ground and the cycle starts again.